1970 E-35. Things to watch out for?

[salamandyr]

I just looked at a really nice 1970 Ericson 35' sloop - beautiful lines, clean interior, just needs a little TLC, a new wind speed/direction sensor at the mast tip, and it's got a blown bow windlass.

It's got gorgeous brightwork above/below, monstrously huge cockpit, spacious and clean cabin (with mint/stock dinette layout in awesome 70s mustard/brown colored fabric), LPG stove, working wet-head, a 22 hp UA diesel with 1600 hours on it and recent tune up / service.. Rigging and sails in good shape, bilge dry, no mildew in interior. Also has a roller furling jib, and a tiller (which I prefer to a wheel).

They are asking $15K firm. Bottom paint done 2 years ago, and is still immaculate above the water line, but who knows what it might need aside from the aforementioned sensors and a replacement windlass.

This one is reported to have a 4'11 keel - does that make it a shoal draft or 'regular' fin keel, for these? I was figuring that made it a 35-2, given the info at sailboatdata.com (and the superstructure looks like the example picture) but I'm not 100% sure..

Soo.. decent deal?

I walked around the decks, peeked into the bilge, ran the engine, etc.. except for the stuff I know about it looks great.. what might I want to pay special attention to on this one?

I'd have a survey done pre-offer and would throw it back if anything else major is discovered, but I'd rather not waste the $1K if there are known trouble spots I can check first.

[souljour2000]

Wish I knew that boat...my friend's Ericsson 29 has such a beautiful interior and sassy, salty look to her despite the rotted balsa decks...for $15,000 though I'd spend 400-500 bucks and get a well-recommended marine Surveyor who has a little grey in his hair/beard...keep us posted

[Faster]

Make your offer subject to survey.... if you come to an agreed price on that basis, then you won't 'blow' the survey fee without some idea that you will have a decent deal depending how that turns out.

I wouldn't pay for a survey on a boat that didn't have a prospective 'deal' in place. Any faults found on the survey can be used for renegotiation, since the original offer is subject to survey.

On paper, by your description it sounds like a decent boat for the money.. they have a good rep and have classic good looks..

[SlowButSteady]

A friend had an Ericson 35-2 (the model to which you seem to be referring; I think his was a 1972). He had to replace the main bulkhead as it was rotten due to leaky chainplates. He also found a rather disturbing crack in the stem, just below the waterline, where the two halves of the hull were not properly bonded together (he fixed it with a long weekend's worth of grinding and fiberglass work). But the real pisser was that he lost the mast when the forestay chainplate failed.

[mikel1]

By all means ask at ericsonyachts.org great bunch of guys with all the knowledge you need . . .

[salamandyr]

thanks guys - i'll definitely only make an offer pending survey, and i'll ask over at ericsonyachts.org too.